phd overview: sustainable production and consumption by upcycling - understanding and scaling up...

Kyungeun Sung, Sustainable Consumption Research Group, School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment

Kyungeun Sung Supervised by Tim Cooper & Sarah Kettley Sustainable Consumption Research Group

College of Art, Architecture, Design and Humanities

Sustainable production and consumption by upcycling: Understanding and scaling up niche

environmentally significant behaviour

Horizon Scanning Module (MA Product Design) 17/10/2016

PhD research overview


My background

BSc in Industrial Design, KAIST (2001-2005)

Product Designer in Samsung Electronics (2005-2007)

MSc in Strategic Product Design, TUDelft (2007-2010)

Project Researcher in Enviu (2010)

Design Researcher & UX Designer in LG Electronics (2011-2012)

Lecturer in Industrial Design and Technology, UB (2012-2013)

PhD in Sustainable Design, NTU (2013-2016)


Kyungeun Sung Supervised by Tim Cooper & Sarah Kettley Sustainable Consumption Research Group

College of Art, Architecture, Design and Humanities

Sustainable production and consumption by upcycling: Understanding and scaling up niche

environmentally significant behaviour


Table of contents

Introduction

Literature review

Research methods

Conclusion


Introduction


Introduction: Project background

UK target: Reductions in GHGs by 80% from 1990 levels by 2050.

Government’s commitment: RCUK Energy Programme.

E U E D

CIE-MAP I-STUTE

Demand

CSEF

CIED

CEE

CIE-MAP goal: identify opportunities that may ultimately deliver a reduction in GHGs


Introduction: Longer lifetimes for industrial energy reduction

Embodied energy: the total (direct and indirect) energy required for the production of economic or environmental goods and services (Costanza, 1980)

Material efficiency: reducing the amount of new material inputs per given level of service or output reduce energy demand for industry (S. Cooper et

al., 2016)

Product lifetime extension: reducing demand for new products/production increase material efficiency (T. Cooper, 2010)


Introduction: Product lifetimes extension

Exception: more energy efficient products for high energy consuming products (e.g. washing machine) (e.g. Brezet et al., 1997; Charter & Tischner, 2001)

Strategies: durable design; repair and upgrade services (Cooper, 2002)

Durable design: negative perception from manufacturers; early replacement buyers’ concern; durability as low priority for purchasing decision; frequent relative obsolescence (e.g. Cooper, 2004; Van Nes and Cramer, 2005)

Repair and upgrade services: high cost of labour relative to energy and raw materials (Cooper, 1999)


Introduction: Consumer trend of upcycling

Creation or modification of any product out of used materials in an attempt to result in a product of higher quality or value than the compositional elements (Sung et al., 2014) by individuals (at the household level)



Creation or modification of any product out of used materials in an attempt to result in a product of higher quality or value than the compositional elements (Sung et al., 2014) by individuals (at the household level)

No need to force manufacturers

No need to pay for professional services

Add new features + change design/style

Alternative to durable design + professional services



contemporary Maker Movement (Anderson, 2012; Lang, 2013)

readily available physical resources (e.g. Hackspaces)

shared digital resources (e.g. Instructables, Etsy)


Introduction: Research question

Despite growing interest, still a marginal activity

Scaled up (Ceschin, 2012; Van den Bosch, 2010) extended lifetimes increased material efficiency reduced embodied energy GHGs reduction

How can this emerging, yet still marginal activity, be scaled up into a mainstream everyday activity in households (and possibly also in industries) to make a bigger impact on the environment and society?

Landscape

Regimes

Niches

Scaling up of niches to regimes (Sung, 2016)


Introduction: Aims and objectives

Aim: develop actionable strategies for upscaling upcycling in households (and beyond) to contribute ultimately to the reduction of GHGs

Objectives:

1. Gain insights into upcycling in the UK

2. Identify UK-specific key behavioural factors for upcycling

3. Formulate design and policy interventions for upscaling upcycling


Literature review


Definitions

Publication trends

Trends in practice

Benefits

Drawbacks and barriers

Links with product attachment

Environmentally significant behaviour

Behaviour models

Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour & Theory of Planned Behaviour

Transition and multi-level perspective

Scaling up

Scaling up approaches: DfSB; policies; TM; behaviour intervention approaches and principles

Literature review: Three knowledge domains

Upcycling Understanding behaviour Scaling up

Research gaps + approaches applicable


Research methods


Methods: Overarching framework

Adapted framework based on Darnton’s Nine Principles framework (Sung, et al., 2016; Sung, 2016)

Semi-structured interviews

Internet survey

Semi-Delphi


Stage one: Understanding consumer behaviour

1. Identify behaviour model for exploration

Methods:

Thorough literature review

Behaviour is complex and should be understood by both internal (e.g. attitude) and external (e.g. situational conditions) factors (Egmond & Bruel, 2007;

Jackson 2005; Kallbekken, Rise & Westskog, 2008; artiskainen, 2007)

Triandis’ Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour (TIB): recommended through an extensive review on behaviour models by Jackson (2005) and Martiskainen (2007); factors shared with a number of comprehensive models (e.g. Feola &

Binder, 2010; Klöckner & Blöbaum, 2010; Kallbekken, Rise, & Westskog, 2008); wide applicability (e.g. technology adoption behaviour, civic behaviour, dietary behaviour, sustainable consumption)


Stage one: Understanding consumer behaviour

2. Understand consumer behaviour

Semi-structured interviews with 23 UK-based consumers with practical upcycling experience

Sampling: Hackspace/Makerspace forums + snowball

Questions: upcycling frequency; materials; materials acquisition; material selection criteria; end product usage; when; where; with whom; influencing factors based on TIB

Methods:


Stage two: Identifying key behaviour-influencing factors

1. Refine behaviour model for operationalisation

Issues in TIB: a) no operational definition of variables (Araujo-Soares &

Presseau, 2008); b) differences in a few adapted models (e.g. Gagnon, et al.,

2008; Bamberg & Schmidt, 2003; Knoeri & Russell, 2014)

Combine TIB and TPB (Ajzen, 1991; Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) – one of the widely used models but with limited prediction/explanation power – for improved operationalisability and explanation power

Methods:


2. Identify key drivers, facilitators and barriers

Internet survey with 122 British residents

Sampling: websites identified through interviews

Questions (TIB + TPB): attitude; social factors (role beliefs/ personal norm/ subjective norm); perceived behaviour control; intention; perceived facilitating conditions; behaviour frequency

Methods: Stage two: Identifying key behaviour-influencing factors


Methods: Stage three: Developing intervention strategies

1. Design effective intervention strategies

Synthesis of the main findings and implications for scaling up

Target population / approaches / ideas

Intervention strategies development based on Defra’s 4Es (Enable/ Encourage/ Exemplify/ Engage) model

15 initial strategies


Methods: Stage three: Developing intervention strategies

2. Evaluate and improve the draft strategies

Semi-Delphi method: questionnaire + workshop with experts (n=25)

Expertise: policy (n=6), engineering (6), psychology (3), sociology (3), art and design (3), business management (2), and economics (2).

Questions: importance; feasibility; suitable actor(s); new interventions; top 5 interventions


Conclusion


Conclusion

Meeting the aim and objectives

Limitations

Applicability of the research findings

Contribution to knowledge

Suggestions for future research

Kyungeun Sung, Sustainable Consumption Research Group, School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment Image sources: http://image.slidesharecdn.com/clapresentation-talisopenday-march14-140328085008-phpapp01/95/cla-presentation-talis-open-day-march-14-14-638.jpg?cb=1395996639

Thank you! Any question?

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